WA fires: Trapped, Harvey firefighters stared death in the face to save Yarloop

A Harvey firefighter has described an inferno that crashed "like a wave" over Yarloop as he and his crew huddled with residents on the town's oval, trapped by a ring of flames with only 500 litres of water left to defend themselves.

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WA heroes: Firies working around the clock

Audio courtesy of ABC. Vision courtesy of Department of Parks and Wildlife WA.

Two people have lost their lives in the blaze that tore through more than 71,000 hectares of land, burnt 143 properties and razed the township of Yarloop on Thursday.

Sixty New South Wales firefighters flew in on Saturday and are continuing to help as part of the 350-strong force of tired locals managing flare-ups along the perimeter of the blaze, still measuring more than 232 kilometres on Monday.

Harvey Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service lieutenant Scott Britza said the station's whole crew had been on duty since last Wednesday. Some had had only six hours' sleep in as many days, snatched anywhere possible, even on the grass outside the station.

Mr Britza is second-in-command of the brigade captained by his father, a firefighter for more than 40 years. He said his crews were already mobilising when they got the first calls on Wednesday, having seen the smoke in the air.

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"We assisted with asset protection in Waroona and we couldn't believe the glow coming from around the hills... it was just surrounded in fire," he said.

"After seeing it last year we had hoped that was a once-in-a-lifetime fire, but there we were – back again.

Some firefighters only got 6 hours sleep in as many days. Photo: Michael Reynolds

"There was no water, we were up there with 2000 litres of water when this inferno hit, like a wave of fire that just crashed through the school.

"Half the side of our fire engine just melted. At that stage our crew's safety was paramount. We couldn't do anything. We tried to drive out of the fire but we couldn't see in front of us and couldn't find the road. Eventually we drove through some trees and found a road and found a house and thought we found one house that looked defensible.

"We had hoses out and set up there and used 1500 litres of water to defend that house ... but at that stage our fire chief told us to get the f*** out of there.

"We drove down the main street and we heard the call that the town site had been isolated and we were trapped in Yarloop with 500 litres of water to protect ourselves."

They were looking for a safe place to park when they saw about 30 cars parked on the main street. The cars belonged to residents who had planned to stay and defend their houses, but decided to get out when they saw how lethal the fire was. But for them, like the crew, it was too late.

The crew decided the most sensible thing to do was to stay and protect the residents with their remaining water, so they took their two tankers and the 70 or so people to the local oval and shared out what masks they had. Mr Britza was hoping the turf would provide a firebreak but the scenes in Waroona of green turf going up in flames left him anything but confident. As group leader, he feared for them all.

"They are a good lot of boys and I grew up with them. I have never seen that situation before. We were all thinking [we might die]. It was hard to breathe, wearing so much gear we were smothered, with embers under our shirts."

Relief arrived at midnight and they were able to leave the fire-ravaged town after a ten-hour life-threatening ordeal.

But Mr Britza said that didn't mean the men could rest.

The longest anyone had been at the fire front was 12 hours, but those back at the station did not stop working, he said.

The country station had become a major operating base and volunteers were manning radios, monitoring what trucks were entering and exiting, organising food and water for the crews and sometimes catching a few hours of sleep. Nobody went home.

But the community's help, galvanised by photographs circulating through social media of them sleeping on the ground outside the station on Sunday, buoyed their spirits. Evacuees leaving town detoured by the station to drop off containers of water that, for some, were all they had.

"We have had to tell them to stop bringing food," Mr Britza said.

"People were falling asleep where they stand ... they started bringing mattresses. Eventually we couldn't get the fire engine in because of all the mattresses.

"That's why I love living in Harvey.

"I am just thankful the training the boys have been putting in has come through in pivotal moments like this to help people who need it."

It is hoped cooler weather forecast for the next few days will give on-ground personnel the opportunity to consolidate their gains before hot weather returns on Friday.

On February 28, the last day of summer, not-for-profit National Red Balloon Day will encourage all Australians to support its annual Thank You Fireys fundraiser.

Residents and businesses are encouraged to thank firefighters by flying a red balloon from their letterbox, fence or business window. Official Thank You Fireys balloons and other merchandise are available for purchase and proceeds raised in Western Australia go to the Association of Volunteer Bush Fire Brigades WA.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services has asked those wishing to help the relief effort not bring material goods but instead contribute to the Lord Mayor's Distress Relief Fund.